Liverpool loan star serves timely reminder of what he will offer

Divock Origi scores a hat-trick for Lille and looks to have attributes to improve Reds

It’s safe to say things have not gone swimmingly for any of Liverpool’s second string strikers this season, paving the way for a potentially big impact for one of Belgium’s brightest talents.

Liverpool forked out £10m to sign Divock Origi from Lille last summer before loaning the 19-year-old back to the French club for the entirety of the season as part of the deal.

That the Reds tried desperately to alter the arrangement in January to get Origi to Anfield six months earlier, spoke volumes about the club’s troubles at the sharp end of the pitch.

Daniel Sturridge’s lengthy injury was compounded by the scant contribution of new signings Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert, while Fabio Borini’s anonymous Reds career has shown no signs of sparking into life.

Brendan Rodgers was so underwhelmed by the trio the Northern Irishman had turned to Raheem Sterling to play as a makeshift striker in Sturridge’s absence.

As Liverpool’s 13/10 top-four odds reflect, performances on the pitch have vastly improved heading into mid March though the aforementioned cluster of misfiring forwards have still been used more sparingly than drinking water in the desert.

This would appear to be good news for Belgium’s teenage World Cup sensation Origi who broke his own barren spell at Lille with a hat-trick against Rennes on his last appearance.

Origi started the campaign over in France with a flurry of goals before going off the boil for an extensive period, but as was witnessed in Brazil last summer, he appears to have many attributes going for him.

He’s strong, quick and direct meaning he will offer Liverpool a more traditional number nine than they currently have on their roster, but with the pace to suit Rodgers’ high-tempo style.

At least two of Balotelli, Lambert and Borini look certain to make room for Origi’s arrival on the evidence this season.

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